1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical grounding systems installation and more particularly pertains to a ground rod driver which may be employed to install electrical grounding rods in the earth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of ground rod drivers is known in the prior art. More specifically, ground rod drivers heretofore devised and utilized for installing electrical grounding rods in the earth are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for a ground rod driver in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,050 to Schmidt discloses a pipe driving attachment wherein a plurality of concentric tapering sleeves are arranged in driving engagement with a pipe end. A hammer applies driving force to the sleeves thereby driving the pipe so engaged. The Schmidt invention is unsuitable for driving grounding rods wherein a typical grounding rod comprises a solid cylinder and not a pipe. The present invention does not require hammers or other impact forms of driving means.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,388 to Williams et al. a driver tool and method is disclosed. The Williams invention comprises a series of slidably engaging rectangular cross section hollow tubes forming a mast of diminishing minor dimensions having several pivotal pusher plates affixed therein to an outermost tube and having an elongated slot disposed axially along an inner tube. A rod member is placed within the innermost tube and pusher plates selectively engage an end of the rod member thereby permitting insertion of the rod member into the ground by application of force to the outermost tube by a prime mover. A spring loaded detent is provided at the base of the innermost tube to prevent a rod member disposed therein from falling free. The Williams invention has discrete depth increments generally limited to three and additionally only applies force to the free end of the rod member. The substantial separation of force application site and earth engagement portion of the rod member tends to buckle the rod member and may result in release of the rod member through the elongated slot or in aborting attempts to insert rod members in hard soils. And furthermore, the Williams invention is limited in installing relatively short lengths of rod member and requires an interconnection device to enable installation of lengths such as the twenty foot long rod use for grounding 345 KV wood k-frame power transmission structures. Also there is no provision for removing earth embedded rod members in the Williams invention. The present invention comprises a single tubular member housing the rod member and employs a threadedly engaging clamping means to prevent the rod member from falling free. The threadedly engaging clamping means also enables removal of existing rod members by pulling using a prime mover. The present invention applies force of a prime mover to the rod member as proximate to the earth surface as desired, the sole disadvantage being an increase in a number of cycles required to complete installation. Having the force application site in close proximity to the earth permits application of significantly greater driving force than possible in the Williams invention without danger of buckling the rod member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,551 to Iannone a rod driver is described wherein an elongate body having a longitudinal bore terminating in a concave blind end is placed over a rod member free end and is impacted thereby driving the rod member into the earth. The Iannone invention has no provision for removing embedded rod members, is limited to installation of relatively short rod members, and is not adaptable for non impact installation using a prime mover such as a backhoe. The present invention enables removal of embedded rod members and provides for non impact installation of long rod members by prime movers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,187 to Mumper an electrical grounding rod driving bit is disclosed for interfacing an externally powered impact hammer to a free end of a ground rod member. A disadvantage in this prior art lies in a lack of provision for installing long grounding rods such as the twenty foot rod employed for high tension transmission system grounding. Also there is no guide to hold the rod member and the rod is further susceptible to buckling when installation is to be performed in hard earth compositions. The present invention permits installation of long grounding rods and is not susceptible to buckling of the rod member. And the present invention requires no impact driving techniques and furthermore permits rapid removal of embedded rod members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,409 to Hecock et al. discloses an electrical grounding rod driving device. The disclosure teaches a double headed hammer slidably engaging a grounding rod wherein one hammer head initiates and continues insertion of the grounding rod and a second hammer head completes the insertion of the rod. The Hecock et al. invention requires preparation of a hole twelve to fifteen inches deep and is substantially limited to grounding rods to eight foot length. The disclosure makes no provision for removal of an embedded grounding rod and additionally drives a ground rod using impact force. Furthermore, there are no provisions to prevent buckling of the ground rod when attempting installation in hard earth compositions. The present invention requires no prior earth preparation unless indicated by code and is generally unrestricted in driven rod length. The present invention also permits extraction of an embedded grounding rod at any time after installation and in situations arising when a grounding rod strikes a rock ledge and must be repositioned.
In this respect, the ground rod driver according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of installing grounding rods.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved ground rod driver which can be engagingly disposed with a prime mover to quickly embed grounding rods in various earth compositions. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve grounding rod installation apparatus. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.